Bourbon Maple Hot Smoked Salmon
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
2 hrs
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Additional Time
8 hrs
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Total Time
10 hrs 10 mins
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Servings
5
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Calories
314 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Appetizer
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Cuisine
International
Bourbon Maple Hot Smoked Salmon
Description
The Bourbon Maple Hot Smoked Salmon recipe starts with a brine combining soy sauce, sherry, sugar, and various seasonings such as black pepper, hot sauce, onion, and garlic powders. The salmon is soaked in this flavorful liquid for at least eight hours to enhance taste and moisture retention. After brining, the fish is rinsed, patted dry, and either air-dried with the help of a fan or placed in the refrigerator uncovered to develop a tacky pellicle, which helps the smoke adhere.
For smoking, the salmon is cut into serving portions, basted with bourbon maple syrup, and placed skin-side down in a smoker heated between 175-200°F. This method gently cooks the salmon while imparting smoky flavor and a glaze from the syrup. The result is a tender yet firm fish with a balance of smoky depth and sweet highlights from the bourbon maple.
Once smoked, the salmon can be eaten warm, making for a hearty entrée, or chilled and sliced for appetizers or salads. The rich flavors work well with simple sides or as part of a smoked fish platter. This preparation showcases the interplay between a savory brine and a sweet, smoky finish.
Ingredients
- 1.5-2 Pounds salmon fillet
- bourbon maple syrup for basting
Brine Ingredients
- ⅓ Cup white sugar
- ¼ Cup kosher salt
- 1 Cup soy sauce
- 1 Cup water
- 1 Cup sherry
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper fresh cracked
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce
Instructions
Brining the Salmon
- Combine the sugar, salt, soy sauce, water, sherry, hot sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, and fresh cracked black pepper in a bowl and stir or whisk to combine. Once combined, pour the brine into a non-reactive 9x13 pan and add the salmon to the pan.
- Brine the salmon for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Drying the salmon
- Remove the salmon from the brine and thoroughly rinse the fish under cold water. Pat dry and place on a wire rack, skin side down.
- For quick drying place the salmon in front of an oscillating fan for 2-3 hours. Rotate the fish 180 degrees each hour.
- You can also dry the salmon by placing the salmon on a wire rack, uncovered in the refrigerator overnight. A sticky pellicle should form on the surface of the fish.
Smoking the salmon
- Baste the salmon with some of the Bourbon Maple Syrup.
- Heat your smoker to 175-200 degrees. Cut the salmon into serving sized pieces and place on the smoker.
- Smoke the salmon skin side down for about 2 hours, rotating the fish halfway through, and basting with additional maple syrup. This fish is done when it reaches 135-140 degrees.
- You can serve warm, or refrigerate the fish and serve cold. You may also elect to continue smoking the fish for an additional 2-3 hours to get a firmer, dryer smoked salmon or a salmon jerky like texture.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 5Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 314 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 314kcal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 18g | 6% |
| Protein | 32g | 64% |
| Fat | 9g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 75mg | 25% |
| Sodium | 8326mg | 347% |
| Potassium | 809mg | 17% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 15g | 30% |
| Vitamin A | 56IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 37mg | 4% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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